OWENSBORO, Ky. – The 2026-27 NCAA Division II women's basketball season will tip off in Owensboro as Kentucky Wesleyan College hosts the Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) Division II Women's Basketball Tip-Off Classic Nov. 6-7 at the Owensboro Sportscenter.

The nationally recognized season-opening event will bring eight programs from across the country to Owensboro, including five teams that competed in the 2025-26 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship. Kentucky Wesleyan will welcome Harding, Union, Wayne State, Carson-Newman, Missouri Western State, Gannon and Roosevelt for two days of premier Division II competition. The Tip-Off Classic represents an opportunity for Kentucky Wesleyan and the Owensboro community to welcome some of the nation's top Division II women's basketball programs while putting the Sportscenter and the city on a national stage.

Established in 2006 by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association, the Tip-Off Classic has become one of the premier early-season showcases in Division II basketball. The event's exempt status allows participating programs to begin official competition ahead of the traditional season-opening date, providing an opportunity to establish momentum and begin building their postseason résumés.

Kentucky Wesleyan enters the 2026-27 campaign picked seventh among 13 teams in the annual Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll. Head coach Nicole Nieman welcomes 11 returners from last season's squad, including returning starters Emma Bruwer and Iratxe Amorrortu Sainz. The Panthers also add two newcomers: Bailey Blair and Ariadna Garcia Vila.

The Panthers finished seventh in the Great Midwest regular-season standings a year ago before advancing to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Kentucky Wesleyan was picked sixth in last season's preseason poll.

Kentucky Wesleyan will open its season Friday, Nov. 6, against Roosevelt at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Panthers will return to the floor Saturday, Nov. 7, to face Carson-Newman in the weekend's final game at 6:30 p.m. CT.

The two-day schedule features four games each day, beginning at 11:45 a.m. CT. Friday's opening matchup features Harding and Union, followed by Wayne State and Carson-Newman at 2 p.m. CT and Missouri Western State and Gannon at 4:15 p.m. CT. Saturday's slate begins with Union and Wayne State at 11:45 a.m. CT, followed by Gannon and Harding at 2 p.m. CT and Roosevelt and Missouri Western State at 4:15 p.m. CT.

All eight games will be streamed live on FloCollege, with live statistics available through kwcpanthers.com. Tickets for the event can be purchased online through the Owensboro Sportscenter ticketing website.

2026 CCA Division II Women's Basketball Tip-Off Classic Schedule
Friday, Nov. 6

• 11:45 a.m. – Harding vs. Union
• 2 p.m. – Wayne State vs. Carson-Newman
• 4:15 p.m. – Missouri Western State vs. Gannon
• 6:30 p.m. – Kentucky Wesleyan vs. Roosevelt

Saturday, Nov. 7

• 11:45 a.m. – Union vs. Wayne State
• 2 p.m. – Gannon vs. Harding
• 4:15 p.m. – Roosevelt vs. Missouri Western State
• 6:30 p.m. – Kentucky Wesleyan vs. Carson-Newman

For additional information, tickets, live coverage, and the complete event schedule, click here.

All Kentucky Wesleyan athletic contests can be seen on FloSports here. FloCollege is available on the web and for download on mobile devices (iOS and Android) as well as smart TVs and streaming devices such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more. FloSports offers both a yearly and monthly subscription option for the service, with discounts provided to users with a .edu email address. For more information and to subscribe, please visit https://www.flocollege.com/.
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